1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a utility vehicle which has a load-carrying platform with side plates and a carrier gate, and is suitable for carrying goods on roads in rough terrains.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B showing a general four-wheeled utility vehicle disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open publication No. Sho 63-202579, the four-wheeled utility vehicle has a body frame 10 of a metal, four wheels, i.e., two front wheels 2 and two rear wheels 3, suspended from the body frame 10, a driving unit including an engine, mounted on the body frame 10, a driver""s seat 4 and a load-carrying platform 5xe2x80x2. The four-wheeled utility vehicle is often provided with wide tires suitable for traveling on rough roads. A cabin frame 20 is disposed in front of the load-carrying platform 5xe2x80x2 so as to cover the front, rear, right and left sides of the driver""s seat 4. The cabin frame 20 protects the driver. A roof or a hood, not shown, can be attached to the cabin frame 20. Generally, the utility vehicle is not provided with any side door beside the driver""s seat 4 and is not provided with any windshield because the maximum traveling speed, i.e., the upper limit of traveling ability, of the utility vehicle is low and the driver must be able to get on and off the utility vehicle easily for efficient work.
The load-carrying platform 5xe2x80x2 has side plates 70xe2x80x2 set on the opposite sides thereof, and a gate 80xe2x80x2 hinged on the rear end thereof to hold cargo thereon. The gate 80xe2x80x2 can be turned for opening and closing on a laterally extending support rod, not shown, to which a lower portion of the gate 80xe2x80x2 is supported. The gate 80xe2x80x2 is opened by turning the same backward on the support rod to facilitate loading cargo on the load-carrying platform 5xe2x80x2 and is closed by turning the same forward on the support rod to hold cargo on the load-carrying platform 5xe2x80x2. The gate 80xe2x80x2 is kept closed with locking pins 84xe2x80x2 as shown in FIG. 6. When the gate 80xe2x80x2 is closed, a locking bar 82xe2x80x2 attached to the side of the gate 80xe2x80x2 enters a groove 72axe2x80x2 formed in a bracket 72xe2x80x2 attached to the rear end of the side plate 70xe2x80x2. The locking pin 84xe2x80x2 is inserted in holes formed in the bracket 72xe2x80x2 to retain the locking bar 82xe2x80x2 in the groove 72axe2x80x2 of the bracket 72xe2x80x2. The gate 80xe2x80x2 is unable to turn backward on the support rod and to open unless the locking pin 84xe2x80x2 is pulled out of the holes of the bracket 72xe2x80x2 to release the locking bar 82xe2x80x2 from the bracket 72xe2x80x2.
The gate capable of being kept closed by the locking pin is simple in construction and inexpensive. However, the driver, i.e., the operator, needs to grip the locking pin to pull out the same from the holes of the bracket to open the gate and to insert the locking pin in the holes of the bracket to close the gate. These operations take time and are troublesome, and reduces the efficiency of cargo carrying work.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a utility vehicle having a load-carrying platform provided with a gate that is simple in construction and can be easily opened and closed.
According to the present invention, a utility vehicle has a load-carrying platform; a pair of side plates disposed on opposite sides of the load-carrying platform; a gate disposed on a rear end of the load-carrying platform, the gate being supported on and swingable about a laterally extending support rod for opening and closing; a pair of gate locking bolts mounted on the gate each capable of engaging the side plate to hold the gate in the closed state, wherein the gate locking bolt is axially movable in lateral directions between a locking position where a head portion thereof projects laterally outward from a side end of the gate and engages the side plate and a retracted position where the head portion thereof is separated from the side plate, wherein the gate locking bolt is biased toward the locking position by a spring, and wherein the gate locking bolt is capable of being urged toward the retracted position by the side plate that engages the head portion of the gate locking bolt just before the gate is joined to the side plates when the gate is turned to be closed; and a pair of handles each connected to the gate locking bolt, wherein the gate locking bolt is capable of being moved to the retracted position by operating the handle.
Unless otherwise specified, the words xe2x80x9cfrontxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9crearxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9crightxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cleftxe2x80x9d are used herein to signify position or direction with respect to the direction of forward travel of the utility vehicle, and the words xe2x80x9clateralxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9couterxe2x80x9d are used to signify the right/left side portions of the utility vehicle. The words xe2x80x9clateralxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cback-and-forth (longitudinal)xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cverticalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9chorizontalxe2x80x9d are not used in strict sense and is used to signify being substantially lateral, being substantially back-and-forth (longitudinal), being substantially vertical and being substantially horizontal.
The gate of the utility vehicle of the present invention can be opened and closed in the following manner.
When opening the gate, the handles are operated to move the gate locking bolts to their retracted positions, and then the gate is turned on the support rod to open the same. The gate locking bolt can be easily moved to the retracted position against the resilience of the spring. Any troublesome operations, such as pulling locking pins or turning screws are not needed.
When closing the gate, the gate is turned on the support rod to set the gate in a vertical position. When the gate is opened and the handle is released, the gate locking bolt is biased laterally outward by the spring. The head portions of the gate locking bolts project outward from the opposite ends of the gate. When the gate is turned toward the closed position, the head portion of the gate locking bolt comes into engagement with the side plate. Before the gate is completely closed, the gate locking bolt is urged toward the retracted position by the side plate, and then the gate locking bolt is moved to the locking position by the spring. The gate locking bolt engages the side plate upon the arrival of the gate at the closed position to lock the gate at the closed position. The gate locking bolt is moved toward the retracted position against the resilience of the spring just before the gate is closed completely. Therefore, although the gate must be pressed with some force, the gate can be easily closed by a single closing action.
The gate locking bolt can be easily moved toward the retracted position by the side plate when the head portion of the gate locking bolt is beveled properly, and the gate can be easily supported for turning on the support rod. Therefore, the gate of the utility vehicle is simple in construction, durable and suitable for the load-carrying platform of the utility vehicle.
Preferably, the gate has opposite end portions each restrains a portion of the side plate where the gate locking bolt is engaged nearby from laterally moving away from the gate locking bolt.
When the load-carrying platform is fully loaded with cargo, the side plates of the load-carrying platform are liable to be tilted forcibly outward. If the side plates are tilted excessively, it is possible that the side plates are disengaged from the gate locking bolts. Since the portions of the side plates in engagement with the gate locking bolts are restrained from moving away from the gate locking bolts by the opposite end portions of the gate, the side plates cannot be disengaged from the gate locking bolts. Consequently, the gate and the side plates are connected steadily, cooperate to prevent the dislocation and deformation thereof. As a result, cargo can be stably held on the load-carrying platform.
Preferably, the utility vehicle further includes a pipe attached to the gate in a horizontal position in which the gate locking bolt and the spring are inserted, the pipe being provided with a slot through which the handle is projecting outside from the pipe, wherein the slot has an axial guide section extending parallel to an axis of the pipe for enabling the handle to move laterally and a circumferential guide section continuous with the axial guide section for setting the handle when the gate is closed, the circumferential guide section being formed so as to extend vertically downward from the axial guide section when the gate is closed.
The gate locking bolt is able to move axially in the pipe and is biased toward the locking position by the spring placed in the pipe. Since the handle attached to the gate locking bolt projects outside through the slot from the pipe, the user is able to move the gate locking bolt to the retracted position by operating the handle. The gate locking bolt can be moved between the locking position and the retracted position by moving the handle along the axial guide section of the slot. The gate locking bolt can be locked at the locking position by placing the handle in the circumferential guide section with the gate locking bolt placed at the locking position. Namely, the handle is moved along the axial guide section of the slot so as to project the gate locking bolt and then the handle is turned downward in the circumferential guide section to lock the gate locking bolt at the locking position. Since the circumferential guide section of the slot is extending vertically downward when the gate is closed, the handle can be held in a vertical position by gravity and the gate locking bolt is kept stably in engagement with the side plate.
Preferably, the axial guide section of the slot has an outer end portion extending outward beyond a line aligned with an outer edge of the circumferential guide section by a distance not greater than a radius of a base portion of the handle.
When the circumferential guide section of the slot is extending vertically downward from the outer end of the axial guide section, the handle may accidentally turn downward along the circumferential guide section by gravity and is restrained from axial movement before the gate is closed completely, depending on the weight of the handle and the resilience of the spring. In this case, the gate locking bolt cannot be temporarily moved toward the retracted position just before the gate is closed completely. Then, the gate locking bolt obstructs the gate and the gate cannot be closed simply by turning the same on the support rod.
On the other hand, if the outer end portion of the axial guide section of the slot is extended beyond the line aligned with the outer edge of the circumferential guide section, the handle is unable to accidentally turn vertically downward along the circumferential guide section because the base portion of the handle is held in the outer end portion of the axial guide section by the pressure exerted on the gate locking bolt by the spring. Since the outer end portion is a part of the axial guide section, the gate locking bolt is able to move axially as long as the handle is in the outer end portion of the axial guide section and hence the gate can be easily closed simply by turning the same.
Since the outer end portion of the axial guide section of the slot is extended beyond the line aligned with the outer edge of the circumferential guide section by a short distance not greater than the radius of the base portion of the handle, the handle can be easily moved into the circumferential guide section by a simple operation after the gate has been completely closed. Since the distance of outward extension of the outer end portion beyond the line aligned with the outer edge of the circumferential guide section of the slot is not greater than the radius of the base portion of the handle engaging in the slot, the handle can be moved from the outer end portion of the axial guide section into the circumferential guide section by applying a slight force vertically downward to the handle.
Preferably, the laterally extending support rod is located at a lower side of the gate for enabling the gate to be opened by pulling an upper portion of the gate backward. When the gate is closed, a front surface of the gate is substantially included in a plane including rear ends of the side plates, side end surfaces of the gate are substantially included in planes including inner surfaces of the side plates, respectively. The rear end of the side plate and a side end of the gate are connected by a flexible elongated member.
The gate will swing like a pendulum if the upper side of the gate is supported on the support rod. Such a gate is suitable for unloading bulk cargo, such as sand or powder. The gate having the lower side supported on the support rod and capable of being turned on its lower side is suitable for loading and loading ordinary cargo. In the latter case, it is preferable to support the gate in an open position by a flexible elongated member having one end connected to the rear end of the side plate and the other end connected to the upper portion of the gate to prevent the gate from turning excessively and to prevent the excessive loading of the support rod. When the flexible elongated member is used for such purposes, it is desirable to arrange the member so that the member does not jut from the side and rear outlines of the utility vehicle.
Moreover, the flexible elongated member, such as a wire rope or a chain, for supporting the gate that turns on the support rod supporting the lower side of the gate in the open position can be properly arranged so that the flexible elongated member may not jut from the side and rear outlines of the utility vehicle. This is because the space having the shape of a rectangular cylinder defined by the rear end surface of the side plate, the side end surface of the gate, a plane including the outer surface of the side plate and a plane including the rear surface of the gate are formed when the side plate and the gate are arranged with the front surface and the end surface of the closed gate positioned in the foregoing positional relation relative to the side plate, and the flexible elongated member can be received in the space having the shape of a rectangular cylinder.